The Banks of Bruinin
by Tia-Pixie
Summary: Extended scene in which Fili & Kili are almost drowned. There's a rescue, there's plenty of Durin feels and fluff and it's canon compliant because we need more of those. No slash or DurinCest intended because we need more of those too.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: It isn't mine.**

_**Author's note: This has been on my PC for a while now but since writer's block is really causing problems atm and because I somehow managed to give myself food poisoning (*tut*) so I'm having a very lazy day, I thought I'd dust it off and see what you made of it. I made a slight mistake when writing this but for the purposes of this story, this happens /after/ they encounter the trolls not before, it doesn't make a lot of difference but it is there so I thought I'd mention it. Also, please excuse any medical/physical inaccuracy - I did research etc. so it should be fine but just in case...**_

_**My thanks to Heather for her notes on this piece - I'm sorry I'm so bad at keeping in touch.**_

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Thorin POV

I was beginning to think we would spend the rest of our quest soggy, miserable and on edge from the torrential rain and thunderstorms we had so far encountered since leaving the Shire. Though I did not say as much, I had rather hoped Gandalf might have been able to do something about it too as had been suggested a few days before. Between the inclement weather and the fact that we were making slower progress than Gandalf and I had originally hoped, I daresay I was becoming rather more irritable as the days wore on. Besides which, the distant cries of a goblin hunting party last night had forced us to leave far earlier than intended and without breaking our fasts – a point that seemed to be proving particularly troubling to Bombur and our burglar.

A tremendous flash of lightening rent through the air, the resultant roll of thunder deafening overhead. Alarmed shouts and the thunder of rapidly retreating hoof beats were our only warning of the disaster unfolding at the rear of our party. My companions and I barely had time to turn in our saddles before my younger nephew had flown from his own mount and disappeared into the undergrowth in pursuit of a panicking supply pony. Frustration and fear warred within me. Was it too much to ask that my nephews go more than a couple of days without causing mayhem? Had it not been made clear to our entire party after the troll incident that _nobody _was to leave the party alone under any circumstances – certainly not to pursue a startled pony?! How was I supposed to keep my promises to Fili that nothing would befall him and his brother if they both insisted on such foolery as this?

"Fili!" I cautioned, as my elder nephew dropped from his saddle and made to go after his brother. He spared me one brief look, clearly torn between obeying me or taking off after his younger brother; there was no contest really, he went crashing through the woods as though fleeing for his life. Barking orders for the rest of the group to stay with our mounts, I too went after them, Dwalin, Gloin and Nori jogging along with me, Bombur puffing along behind us.

With a sort of sickening dread, I became aware that the sounds of the flowing river – which we had been more or less paralleling for the past couple of days – were becoming louder as we ran. Putting on speed, we emerged into the more sparsely populated riverside just in time to shout a completely disregarded order to my nephews to halt before Kili lunged for the pony's reins and threw himself to the ground, clearly hoping to slow its progress ere it reached the river itself. Instead of slowing however, the cursed creature reared up, eyes flaring in fear as it lost its footing in the mud and slipped sideways into the gushing water.

"NO!" Fili's cry was echoed by several of my companions – myself included – as both the pony and my nephew were dragged bodily into the river by the swelling currents.

Slipping and sliding the final few feet to the water's edge, I had to hold on to my elder nephew with all my strength in order to prevent him throwing himself in after his brother. Dwalin and Nori, having run further down the river were calling out my younger nephew's name, eyes scanning the muddy waters for some sign of him. Satisfied that he would not hurl himself in, I released my restraining grip on Fili as we both ran along the bank, searching the racing current. The pony – I neither knew nor cared to know its name, though no doubt there were those in our group who would consider me callous to say so – surfaced as we ran. It brayed in fear as the current buffeted it about, several times dragging it back under but, though I had hoped he might have retained his grip on the reins, my nephew was nowhere in sight.

"Ho! Thorin, I see him!" shouted Nori from further down the river, waving us over and unravelling a coil of rope he had had attached to his belt. Sure enough, clinging tightly to a rock near the centre of the flow lay Kili, eyes closed and breath heaving as he fought to keep his grip.

"Kili!"

Frightened brown eyes flew open as we called to him, his lips quirking into a relieved smile. He had clearly been submerged several times; his usually pale face was filthy with river mud.

"HOLD!" Dwalin and I bellowed as one as Kili attempted to drag himself closer to our side of the river. Ceasing immediately, I felt my chest constrict at the look of utter terror and confusion that he shot me.

"Kili, do not move!" commanded Fili in perhaps the sternest tone I had ever heard him use when addressing his brother, taking several steps towards the water, arm thrown out ahead of in a 'halt' gesture. Kili's wide-eyed stare swivelled to meet his brother's eyes then and my elder nephew added more gently, "Please…Kili, just _wait_. All will be well."

Nodding reluctantly, Kili clung tighter to the rock though his strength was clearly beginning to fail him, his gaze fixed upon his brother.

"Thorin, Fili!" Dwalin shouted, gesturing us over to where he and the others were standing and preparing to hurl an end of rope into the water with which to haul my nephew to safety. Taking up our positions with Bombur weighing us down at the back, we watched as Dwalin swung the rope out, falling just short of his target. Several more failed attempts and Nori took up the task, swinging it high overhead to land just beyond Kili. He grabbed for it, slipping further into the water as he did so but the cursed rope slipped from his grasp like silk. Beside me, Fili gave a huffed sob of frustration as Nori tried again to the same result.

"He keeps this up, he'll be back into the current," warned Gloin quietly as Kili again scrabbled for purchase. I nodded, desperately trying to think of any alternative to the one I had in mind – namely, to tie the line around another of our party and send them in after him.

"This is folly," muttered Dwalin wretchedly, shaking his head at me. "The lad's exhausted, the more we do this, the less strength he'll have to – "

"What else are we to do?" demanded Fili, glaring furiously at his old weapons master. "Would you have us watch him _drown,_ Dwalin?"

His face dangerously blank – though it was clear to me that my old friend was incensed – Dwalin again took up the line and took aim.

"Thorin," Nori spoke up, impassively watching Kili sob in desperation as the rope was whipped away from him once more. "I am the lightest – the two of us would not be a struggle to bear."

I met his gaze as he turned back to me, eyes burning with grim determination, and I knew he too had thought of the same solution as myself. It was a desperate idea, one that would almost certainly fail and could not be repeated if it should but it was our only plan. I barely knew him except for the times when he had been brought before me in my halls – such times could hardly have endeared me to him – and yet here he was, offering himself up for this fool's errand on my nephew's behalf. All the same, I hesitated. Nori had kin of his own – and was, for all his questionable past deeds, a valuable part of our company – how could I ask of him what I was unwilling to ask of my own kin? Had I not been the leader of our company, I would have gone in myself and gladly. I was sorely tempted to do so anyway.

"He will need to fight the current, Thorin, I am stronger," reasoned Dwalin, who was promptly challenged by Gloin. I would have been touched at their fierce determination – their loyalty – but time was running out for my nephew; he would not be able to hold on much longer and a decision needed to be made.

"No," I said, shaking my head, "No, Nori is right. Your strength will be of no use if _we_ haven't the strength to haul you back out."

"I'm going," Fili announced suddenly, already fixing the coil about his waist, "I may not be the strongest of us, but I have strength enough for _this_."

"No!" I commanded immediately, jerking him towards me as I struggled to pull his knots loose again. I was already in danger of losing one sister-son; I did not intend to risk the other.

Fili gave a strange little laugh, smirking at me disbelievingly. "Thorin," he said almost mockingly, "You cannot stop me – Kili is my _brother_."

And he is _my_ _nephew_. I vow I nearly screamed it at him. I would have stopped him – I would have knocked him to the ground and had fat old Bombur sit on him if it meant he would not risk himself so – but suddenly there came a panicked cry from the waters.

"Fili! _Uncle_! I cannot hold _on_!"

His publicly screaming for me by that title pained me so intensely I should not be surprised if I had stopped breathing for a moment. I very nearly threw _myself_ into the waters after him – rope or no rope. Certainly, my grip on my elder nephew slackened sufficiently for him to twist away from me and fly across the bank to the water's edge, shouting words of encouragement and threats of painful retribution upon his brother if Kili did let go.

We all followed after him, lining up ready to haul them back in – myself, Dwalin, then Gloin, Nori and finally Bombur, his great weight acting as our anchor. Casting one very brief look over his shoulder at us, Fili took an almighty leap into the raging water, his usually bright hair coming up sodden and black with silt. We watched as Fili fought valiantly against the current that tried to drag him faster and faster away from his brother; I thanked Mahal that Fili had had the forethought to dive in upriver as opposed to parallel with his brother. After what seemed like an age, I let go a breath I had barely realised I was holding as Fili's arm reached out to cling to the dark stone. From behind me, I heard my companions cheer. Kili frantically latched on to his brother with one arm, allowing his brother to hold them both fast to their shelter.

"On three, gentlemen," Dwalin instructed and I could _hear_ the smile in his voice. "One…two…thr – "

We all of us gave a great cry of surprise as the change in balance caused Nori and Bombur to stagger on the mud-slicked ground and fall to it, taking the rest of us with them. I barely had time to register that I had loosed my grip on the rope before there came two cries of alarm as my nephews were left abandoned in the waters. I wheeled back around just in time to see them seized by the current, both groping blindly for the rock once more.

"NO!" I lurched to my feet and staggered towards the water, attempting to throw off the strong hands that heaved me back from it ere I could go in.

I could scarcely breathe from the fear that clutched at my heart as I saw not one but _both _of my beloved nephews dragged down into the murky depths and away from me. We took off again, keeping pace with them as best we could whilst the raging river buffeted them about, one or both descending beneath the water's surface more than once. My only consolation was that they somehow managed to keep a hold of one another despite nature's best efforts to separate them. Fighting against the current, I could see Fili desperately trying to steer them towards the bank nearest us and, looking ahead, I saw the river widening and twisting away west – the curve crossing our path. Putting on speed, I bellowed:

"Fili! The rope! Throw it!"

Struggling to hold on to his younger brother – who, now that I could see him clearer, lay clutched in Fili's right arm, head and limbs lolling uselessly against him as they were swept along – Fili eventually managed to hurl the rope towards us. Dwalin, bearing a disturbing resemblance to Kili earlier on, fell upon the rope just before it was ripped out of his reach, sliding several feet along the ground before the rest of us flung ourselves on top of him to weigh it down.

Fili cried out as the sudden jerk no doubt near cut him in two; he briefly lost his grip on Kili before snatching his arm back and heaving his brother back towards himself and wrapping both arms about him. From what I could see, Kili remained largely unresponsive to his brother's difficulties.

Lying there, I suddenly realised that we could not heave my nephews in without getting up and that we could not get up without losing our hold upon them; as the wretchedness of that thought began to dawn upon me, several more sets of booted feet appeared in front of us.

"Don't worry, lads," came Bofur's slightly forcedly cheerful voice, "We'll have you back here in a jiffy."

As the rest of our party took up the line, the others and I stood, also taking up a grip and beginning to haul Fili and Kili back in. The task seemed to become easier somehow and I looked away to see Gandalf, head bowed and seeming in deep concentration, muttering his strange words under his breath. Though I doubted I would keep such a promise, I swore to myself to be more respectful of the old man in future. At his side stood the Halfling, looking fit to faint with worry, blankets clutched in a white-knuckled grip as he watched us draw my nephews in the last few feet to the shore.

I confess my knees near buckled with relief as both Dwalin and Balin thumped me on the back as Bofur and Dori rushed forwards to heave my nephews from the water. I stumbled forwards on shaking legs, pushing my way through the company until I was at my nephews' sides.

"You're all right now, lad," Bofur was saying, thumping Fili on the back as he lay splayed out on the muddy ground and coughing up great mouthfuls of filthy water. "You're all right."

Fili was breathing harshly, hands grasping at the earth like a lifeline but he looked up briefly, casting me a relieved grin before collapsing again in a shivering heap. Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned to my other nephew. Kili lay on his side, eyes closed. He did not shiver, did not cast me his usual glittering smirk, did not seem to _breathe_.

I felt all the breath leave me. My heart stopped. I could not have said how I stayed upright in that moment, certainly everything in me wanted to drop to my knees and howl. Yet, somehow, I remained on my feet staring blankly at my youngest nephew and wondering how, when there were so many evils in the world, I could have allowed him to fall foul of _this_ of all things.

"No. Kili…" I had not intended to say it allowed but once I had my elder nephew's head shot up, eyes wide and once more filled with terror.

"Out of my way, _out_ of my _way_!" demanded Gandalf, descending upon us and knocking my companions aside with his staff, the hobbit trailing in his wake. I could not find the strength in myself to so much as scowl at the wizard when he slapped Fili's hands away from where they had been cradling his younger brother's face.

Gandalf placed on large hand upon Kili's forehead, once more murmuring under his breath and brows creased in concentration. Unable to so much as look at them any longer, I turned my attention to Fili. It did not improve my anguish.

I had not seen such unconcealed sorrow upon his face in nigh on seventy-five years – I had hoped never to see such a look upon my heir's face again. I wondered if I had ever shown such grief myself. Such innocent confusion as though he could not fathom how so vibrant a light as his little brother could be snuffed so easily – how well I sympathised with _that_ feeling – and such open terror as though all his world was crashing down about him. He turned his gaze to me; there were no tears upon his face, no tell-tale glimmer in my sister's eyes, only so plaintive a look that I could scarcely bear to look at him. I knew that look – had known it since his infancy – '_do something!' _ it begged. Feeling my throat tighten, I stood and rounded our dwarf huddle to him.

"Uncle?" he said in so small a voice I wondered that anyone else heard it at all. Still, I felt several sets of eyes turn to me as though expecting me to somehow resurrect the foolish boy myself. Shaking my head slightly, I placed my hands upon Fili's shoulders and he turned back to his brother, one hand coming up to clutch almost painfully at one of mine.

"Well?" I heard Dwalin ask, his voice sounding gravelly.

Gandalf sighed heavily, sitting back from Kili and I found myself tightening my grip on my nephew's shoulders as I willed the wizard to break the news as gently as he could.

"He is coming back to himself," Gandalf said eventually, smiling grimly.

"What?" Fili's voice was tight and this time I could hear the tears threatening, "What does that mean?"

Gandalf made no reply, but smiled once more and stood, thanking Dori as he held out the wizard's cloak and staff. I exchanged bewildered glances with my cousins, several of whom looked outright furious at the wizard's mystifying answer.

"Uncle?" Fili repeated, craning his head around to me, "What does he _mean_?"

Before I could answer, there came a tremendous cough, followed by a splash of water and several shocked cries from our companions. Leaning over, supported by Nori, Kili heaved and expelled mouthfuls of filthy water.

"Kili!" Fili threw himself from my grasp, the hobbit's blanket lying forgotten on the sodden earth as we all crowded forwards. "_Kili_," he repeated, throwing one arm around his brother's shoulders. Kili collapsed into him, eyes unfocussed and still breathing very strangely.

"What in _Durin's_ name were you thinking of?" I began harshly, taking half a step towards them but stopped as I felt all eyes turn to me. Hardest to bear of all was the beseeching looks being bestowed upon me by my nephews who both stared at me like children lost in a wood – too relieved at being found to even begin to comprehend my anger towards them. Briefly, I thought to reach out to them both – as much for my own benefit as theirs – but thought better of it as I felt my other companions looking to me for direction. "We rest here," I said hoarsely, my eyes not leaving my nephews, "Gloin, get a fire going. The rest of you lead the ponies back. We'll start at first light."

Our party disappeared in twos and threes to do as I ordered until eventually it was only Dwalin, Gandalf, the hobbit and my nephews left. After the commotion and frantic activity of the past couple of hours, it suddenly seemed very still and very quiet – even the rain had blessedly stopped.

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**_So...thoughts?_**


	2. Chapter 2

**To ****_Theophila_****: Thank you! I did get over it fairly quickly and with probably minimal suffering really (I'm just really bad at being ill), it just came at a truly inconvenient time. And your review was lovely! It made me incredibly happy to have stories by me be called one of somebody's favourite things! I hope you continue to enjoy this :)**

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**A/N: So, I've been playing around with what I have written for the rest of this story and have decided that rather than splitting it into the two chapters I had originally planned, I'm going to split it into three, a) because I'm not happy with the ending I originally wrote and would like a bit longer to mess with it and b) because it was going to make this chapter over 5000 words and I like to stick to around 3500 (don't ask me why, it just seems to be my natural chapter stopping point).**

**So with that in mind, please read, enjoy and review(if you have the time) on this second chapter. I very much welcome any and all - good or bad.**

**Oh yes, and it's still Thorin's POV and will remain that way until the finish (as opposed to rotating POVs like I normally do).**

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"Can you stand?" I asked, barely waiting for an answer before bodily lifting Kili to his feet. He leant into me slightly, one hand curling into my coat and his head just touching mine. Under guise of helping him find his balance, I huffed but paused briefly before drawing back – it had been quite an ordeal for us all, him most of all but I did not intend to coddle him after such blatant disobedience and foolishness. "Can you walk?" I continued gruffly, forcing myself to remain impassive and ignoring the reproachful looks being shot at me by Master Baggins and my elder nephew. Kili glanced at me in hurt surprise before dropping his gaze to the floor and nodding, taking one unsteady step towards his brother.

Dwalin moved forwards and reached an arm around to support him as Kili nearly toppled over. We started to make our slow, painstaking wayback up the hillside, my nephews, Dwalin and the halfling ahead of Gandalf and myself. After their stumbling and near falling several times, Dwalin paused and suddenly whooshed my youngest nephew up into his arms and carried on up the hill as though he were little more than a dwarfling, Fili and the hobbit following in their wake. A small part of me – my sister's voice – whispered that it was not Dwalin's place to watch over them as he was doing, that if I had been paying closer attention to my nephews as I ought to have been, this entire situation could have been avoided.

"Gandalf," I said quietly as we neared where the others had evidently set up camp, "Thank you."

He did not speak for a long moment and I raised my face to look at him. He gazed at me appraisingly, before carrying on and commenting casually:

"This is becoming something of a habit, oh King-under-the-Mountain."

"What is?"

He looked at me pointedly. "I had only to find you your burglar, Thorin, 'twas you who recruited your other companions."

"Fili and Kili have brave and loyal hearts, I would no sooner have done without them than I would any other in our party," I told him defiantly, though the statement was somewhat of an untruth. I bristled under his scrutiny, outraged that he should think he had any right or reason to question my choice in companions when he had so often told us he was not a part of our company. All the same, he had saved us from certain ruin twice in as many days now so I supposed he deserved my indulgence for now. "Kili meant to do what was best for the company, I am certain. His…accident was unfortunate, yes, but he did nothing wrong, Gandalf."

"And yet, you are angrywith him," the wizard pointed out shrewdly and perhaps a little teasing.

I scowled but said nothing though he was right, and we entered the camp to find a fire just starting to crackle nicely, the ponies (the ones we had left) within sight and the rest of the company bar Fili and Kili beginning to set about dinner. My nephews had huddled together beside the fire – no doubt at Oin or Balin's command – and were being fussed over by the hobbit, tucking blankets tighter to them and stoking the fire; I could not decide whether to be relieved or concerned that Kili was sitting obediently still and quiet, slumped against his brother like a rag doll. Fili and Baggins looked up as we approached, and, though Fili quickly dropped his gaze, our burglar determinedly fixed his upon me. I met his eyes with as much animosity as I could muster whilst watching him cluck over my nephews in my stead. I had business to attend to – I had not planned to rest here and now the entire area would need to be scouted – and already I could feel Dori's expectant gaze on my back, awaiting my presence so that he might fuss his way through my plans for the next day's journey.

It was for that reason that although I should have liked to gather them both close to me and settle with them for the night, I paused only briefly with my nephews, pressing my hands to their sodden heads and stating directions for them to change out of their soaked clothing as soon as possible. They both turned fretful gazes upon me, clearly wary of being reprimanded for their recklessness but I had not the time to spare even to calm their worries. Instead I jerked Kili's blanket up where it had slipped and patted Fili's shoulder before nodding at them both and taking my leave, re-joining Gandalf where he waited for me and hardening my heart to their crestfallen faces as I left.

Gandalf and I stood and talked a while longer, occasionally joined by my elder companions – Oin and Dori mostly – and I ordered Gloin, Bifur and Bofur to scout the nearby area for signs of our enemies. To my relief – for I did not wish to fall out with Gandalf so soon after he had revived my nephew – Gandalf and I were both of a mind to stay and rest at least two nights where we were in case either Fili or Kili fell ill as a result of their misadventures. I did not like to waste the time, and I was, in fact, most put out by the delay but I reasoned that we had not tarried the morning after we had encountered the trolls and had put many miles between us and them since then; we could spare one day to ensure my sister-sons' health. I wanted them to regret and learn from the incident, I did not wish for them to suffer for it. The matter had barely been decided when Baggins appeared, marching towards us with tremendous purpose.

"They could have drowned," he said abruptly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Them," he said, pointing to my nephews with his pipe, "Your nephews, they could have drowned, and you've barely said a word to them since."

"What of it?" I ground out, feeling outrage and anger simmering within me. The very idea that this hobbit who had known us all but a matter of days thought he had any right to comment upon things so personal as this – as if he could possibly have understood the depth to which my love for my sister-sons ran within me.

He paused uncomfortably before adding mildly, "Just think you could afford to be a bit…nicer to them, that's all. They've had quite a shock."

"Thank you for your opinion," I growled, feeling every part of me tensing with barely contained fury, my hands twitching with suppressed purpose. 'Quite a shock'? Quite a shock indeed – one of them was unconscious for half of it! – I had had quite a shock myself!

"Bilbo, my dear chap," Gandalf said suddenly, most likely sensing my rage, "Have you any Old Toby in your pack? I have quite run out."

"Yes, of course!" he cried brightly, trotting away and chatting quite happily with the wizard, seemingly completely oblivious to his blunder. I shook my head, trying to turn my attention back to the matters at hand.

"Balin?" I called, endeavouring to emulate my eldest cousin's composure as I stepped around the fire to speak to him. "That pony, what supplies have we lost?"

My cousin looked grim. "Suffice to say, we shall be on slim rations from now on."

"Ori and Nori have gone to see what they can salvage – some of it at least will have washed up down river," Dwalin informed me.

"What little there is will be all but ruined," I replied, shaking my head and cursing the blasted pony and the awful storm that had frightened it so.

Balin smiled wanly, patting my shoulder – at which I resisted the urge to scowl – and wandering away. Dwalin and I stood in companionable silence for a few minutes, watching the others go about their business, hanging my nephews' drenched clothing to dry on branches overhead and heating water over the fire.

"The hobbit deems me to have been too harsh earlier," I confessed bitingly when he made no attempts to engage me in conversation. I had not intended to bring it up – quite the opposite in fact – but it was playing on my mind, not least because I shuddered to think what my sister's opinion would be. I watched him from the corner of my eye, hoping some small measure of reassurance would be forthcoming.

"Does he?"

Drat him. "Mm," I continued, "he seemed to think I was…unaffected by what happened."

"And are you?"

"Certainly not!" I exclaimed, shocked and a little hurt that he should even ask.

He smirked, pleased at my rising to his bait but shrugged and said nothing.

"Gandalf seems to think they're a liability…," I continued eventually, seemingly unable to stop.

Dwalin watched me closely for a few seconds, something akin to disappointment now crossing his face. "Do you?"

I hesitated. In all honesty, no, I did not think my nephews were a liability per se, though I did think that Kili in particular had made some spectacular errors in judgment so far. But a liability? "They are…very young," I replied at length, "They seem very young. They…he makes poor decisions."

"I seem to recall the same being said of us, my friend."

"We were a good deal younger," I replied, though we both smiled ruefully at the memories.

"It was a poor decision," Dwalin conceded, "But he did not intend any harm, quite the opposite. Still, I am sure he will not make it again."

"And Fili?" I demanded suddenly, my anger at my elder nephew – my heir – risking himself so readily resurfacing, "Must we always stand by and watch him risk his own life for his brother's?"

"There was a time when you were glad of that."

I scowled, irked by his uncharacteristically insightful refusal to be drawn into an argument. Drat him once more. I did not wish to always fear for both of them – why not only one, or better yet, neither?

"Yes, there was," I relented bitterly, I would not change it, even now – I doubted I could even if I had wanted to. I would never wish such agony as the loss of his younger brother upon my heir – despite what I may have spoken before – but I could not bear to think of the devastation my sister – and indeed, I – would suffer if anything were to happen to both of them.

"What am I to do with them?" I sighed knowing he would understand about whom I was speaking. We shared the briefest of smiles at the oft-repeated phrase – something of a mantra in my sister's household.

"Thorin, my friend, we are being watched," Dwalin murmured suddenly. I glanced up, following his line of sight. He was, of course, quite right. Though I do not doubt he believed he was doing so with the utmost stealth, my eldest was indeed watching us.

"Mahal, but they are a sorry sight," I muttered to Dwalin, watching Kili stir and half-heartedly attempt to rub the dried mud from his hair. Their mother would despair of them if she saw them in their current state. We both watched as Ori approached them, walking painstakingly slow so as to avoid spilling the steaming vat of water he was carrying. Smiling wearily at him – though it was hard to tell beneath the filth caked onto his face – Fili shrugged one arm out from under his blanket to dip a rag in the warm water. Kili shifted, turning his head away from Fili but he was clearly in no fit state to contend with his brother's fierce determination to at least attempt to make him presentable.

"Wasting all this time heating water…Ought to take them down to the river with a bar of soap and toss them both in," grumbled Bombur as he was finally able to set his cooking pot upon the fire. I suppressed a shudder and glared at him; it was only by Dwalin's immediate shove towards my other cousins and Balin's calming hand on my arm that I did not call the unthinking, fat old fool out on it. Perhaps we ought to take him down to the river and toss him in – I'd wager he would not float nearly so well as my nephews had done.

"Ah, but that'd do no good, Brother – we'd only have to fish 'em both back out again," grinned Bofur, wandering over to assist his brother. It was impossible to tell but judging by the way Fili froze and Kili's gaze immediately dropped, I suspected they were both blushing intensely beneath the grime.

I glanced at Balin, seeing him watching me, eyes twinkling knowingly. I would not spare my nephews their indignity – after all, every member of our party had been willing to risk themselves and their kin to rescue my nephews today – and after days of trudging along bog-like paths and then such a shock, our companions would do well to unwind doling out some well-earned beleaguering. I trusted that my nephews' defiantly bright spirits would withstand it; Kili, in particular, had never seemed to dwell on past perils. I did however hope he would at least learn from the experience. Though he had obviously not intended to fall into the water, I could not fathom why he had risked his own life for the sake of a packhorse whatever load it was bearing.

"The laddies are exhausted," Gloin murmured seriously beside me, puffing at his pipe, "They shall sleep well tonight, I shouldn't wonder."

I rather disagreed with that statement, though my cousin could hardly be expected to know my elder nephew's propensity for night terrors or that my youngest would likely fight sleep tonight until he all but lost consciousness. I gave a somewhat noncommittal grunt, drawing my own pipe from my jerkin and beginning to pack it.

"Oh," Gloin exclaimed suddenly, passing his pipe off to his Balin for a moment as he rummaged through his pockets for something. Withdrawing his hand and thanking Balin, he said, "Ori discovered this earlier – he asked me to return it to its owners but…" He trailed off, exchanging glances with Balin. I felt my stomach knot upon seeing what it was he held out to me. I reached out slowly, taking it from him and holding it in my clenched fist for a moment before looking it over. A leather band, weathered and tattered, lay in my palm. The four usually bright beads upon it were dulled by the muck from the river but it was nonetheless unmistakeable to me.

"My thanks…to Ori and to you," I said eventually, my throat tight.

"A pretty thing," commented Nori, approaching us with his younger brother in tow, "We were fortunate to have found it."

"Fortunate indeed," I agreed, reiterating my thanks to Ori despite the boy's flushing up to the tips of his ears.

Quiet arguing drew my attention to my nephews once more, just as Kili wrenched his face from his brother's grasp and curled in upon himself, seemingly intent upon disappearing into his blankets for the night. I caught the thong up in my fist again as Fili called the hobbit over to them once more before lurching to his feet and all but storming away from his brother.

"Evening."

Though I did not acknowledge them, I felt each of my cousins turn their eyes upon me at my nephew's terse greeting. His approach had cut off all conversation with such an abruptness as I had believed only I was incapable of inspiring. He stood awkwardly just beyond the circle of our group, his jaw working furiously before a sudden flurry of movement saw him ushered into our midst.

"Here," said Balin, laying a mantel about Fili's shoulders as he had several days ago, "T'will do no good for you to catch cold, my lad."

Though he frowned briefly at being addressed as such, I saw his lips pull upward slightly as he shrank further into the warmth of my cousin's cloak. I felt a slight smile threatening to cross my own face as I saw him there, looking so much like his younger self being escorted home after a long day's mischief. Still, he shivered slightly, pulling it tighter around himself. I could not help but reach out and run my hand down the back of his usually golden hair, under guise of pulling the hood up over his head to keep it warm of course. Each one of us was travelling with kin – most of them my own – but that did not mean we could not keep up some small appearance of professionalism in the daylight hours at least.

"The pony," Fili began, hesitantly peering at us from underneath his hood, "Did you manage to…?"

"No sign of him," Ori lamented, heaving a slightly tremulous sigh, "If only…I suppose there's nothing to be done about it now."

Looking as crestfallen as him, Fili placed one hand on Ori's shoulder. "Poor Ham. He was a good little pony," he said grimly, Ori nodding along fervently. I shared an unimpressed look with Dwalin but restrained myself from voicing my own thoughts on the matter. "Kili thought so, certainly," Fili sighed, glancing back towards where the hobbit was now prattling away to a largely unresponsive Kili. I would have been worried except that I could see how the light glinted off his dark eyes as he watched us, every now and then murmuring responses to his companion's chatter.

Catching my eye, Dwalin excused himself and wandered over to join my younger nephew. Satisfied that we would not be seen to have entirely abandoned Kili so soon, I turned my attention back to my elder nephew. I nodded once to our companions before drawing him away, one hand on his elbow to guide his steps and – should the need arise – keep him from falling. When I judged we were a fair distance from the others and should not be overheard, I bade him sit. He did so with far less grace than usual, all but collapsing onto a nearby boulder and gazing sheepishly up at me.

"My apologies, Uncle," he began softly, eyes wide and earnest within his muddied face, "I didn't intend to worry you."

I shook my head exasperatedly; he was apologising but not for the deed, only for the anguish it had brought me. Still, I considered that it was better than nothing and besides, I could hardly bear him any ill will for his actions when I had almost been prepared to do as much myself.

"Kili is very sorry too, I am certain," he added when I did not reply.

"Kili is always 'very sorry' once he begins to suffer the consequences of his actions," I told him sternly, "But let him tell me so himself. As I have said before, it is not your place to make amends for his behaviour."

He looked doubtful but shrugged, immediately wincing as he did so. "Oin is preparing some of his remedies for you both," I informed him, pressing my hand to his shoulder. "It will help ease your pains."

"Ought to leave him to it," he muttered darkly, "It's all his own fault anyway."

"Very well," I nodded, straightening as if to leave him, "I shall inform Oin."

"Thorin – no!" he immediately protested, horrified, as I had known he would be. Leave his younger brother to suffer indeed – the very thought of it was ludicrous. Too late, he realised my feint. "That was cruel," he informed me as I returned to him.

"Ah, but I am a cruel and vengeful old soul," I lamented, perching beside him on the rock and feeling him settle his weight against me.

"You are that," he shot back, clearly enjoying testing the indulgence I was granting him, "Still, you are not so very old, Uncle."

I barked a laugh, not in the least bit offended by him so relieved was I at having him here beside me, alive and in good enough health to tease. From beside the fire came the sound of Kili's harsh coughs and, though we both knew he was perfectly safe with the others, we both turned our heads at the sound. Though I was not entirely surprised, I was disappointed when Fili soon turned sober again as we watched his brother.

"He should not have done it," he muttered angrily as though daring me to disagree, "What was he thinking of? He could have been drowned and for what? A sack of potatoes and a few pieces of clothing. I have never known anyone so careless with themselves."

"Well," I began, withdrawing the necklace from my jerkin and dangling it in front of him, "tis hardly a cause worth dying for, but before you condemn your brother entirely..."

He stiffened beside me, his head immediately rising from where it had been leaning lightly against my shoulder. He went so still that for a moment he barely seemed to breathe.

"Ori found it earlier in one of the sacks they recovered," I explained quietly, dropping it gently into his outstretched hand.

"A stroke of luck," he commented tightly, fingering the silver beads reverently.

"Fili," I said forebodingly, raising his face to me, "How did this happen?"

To my knowledge, my brother and brother-in-law's clasps had been kept under lock and key until my sister-sons were of age and even then we had impressed upon both of them the importance of these particular items. I was at a loss to explain how a necklace that had not left Kili's neck since my sister had given it to him, could have ended up at the bottom of a clothing sack and nearly washed away forever.

His eyes widened slightly at my tone before dropping back to his treasure, seeming mesmerised. "It broke…before we had even reached Bilbo's house," he began hesitantly, "I told him to rethread it but…well, he seemed to think it safer to tie a knot in it and store it away. I didn't know where he had put it."

I could see a tight knot in the strap where the tattered leather had clearly given way. I closed my hand over his, hiding the thing from his view. The spell broken, he lurched to his feet.

"We must return it to him – little wonder he is so miserable if he thinks it lost!"

"So we must," I agreed, instinctively reaching out to steady him as dizziness overcame him, "But slowly now."

He moaned slightly against my shoulder, eyes tightly closed to his no doubt spinning surroundings. Too soon – for I confessed myself content to have held him up for far longer than that – he pushed himself back, though I kept one hand around his arm as a precaution and we slowly walked the short distance back to the fireside.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Last chapter everyone. Thank you so much to those who have already reviewed - they really make my day. I love hearing from you all and hearing all your thoughts - the good, the bad, the ones of questionable content ;p Please keep them coming and I will reply to all of you! This chapter is basically a wrap up chapter, there's possibly some OOC but no worse than my other fics in this fandom. There's some hugs, some jokes *le gasp* and of course, my customary angst injection. I hope you enjoy all of them, even if you don't then thank you for reading. Happy Monday everyone, I know we all get told we should hate Mondays but Mondays have feelings too and they really don't hate you, I promise. In fact, they're more scared of you than you are of them...But that might be spiders. Anyway, have a lovely day.**

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**Probably unnecessary at this point, but it's Thorin's POV.**

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Dwalin stood as we approached, one hand pushing against Kíli's shoulder as he too attempted to stand. My younger nephew was a pitiful sight to behold. Although Fíli's attempts had gone some way to cleaning him up, dried mud still marred his pale face and the hands with which he reached for his brother were bloodied from his efforts to cling to his rock. Their earlier argument forgotten, Fíli dropped to his knees beside him, immediately embracing him and seemingly oblivious to all but Kíli. I joined them on the fire-dried earth and tested the abandoned vat of water – still blessedly warm – and cast about for the cloth.

"Uncle," Fíli called to me softly, looking pointedly at his brother. I sighed, feeling my heart constrict at the sight that greeted me. I reached out and took the hand Kíli was hesitantly outstretching to me, lightly though, to avoid any further injury to his palm. He returned my smile wearily, breath still somewhat shaky despite the warmth of the fire. "Kíli, Uncle found something of yours," Fíli told him, his head resting atop his brother's.

"Ori found it," I corrected, wanting both of my sister-sons to know exactly to whom they owed their gratitude and perhaps further encourage some sort of bond between my nephews and someone other than each other.

Weakly, Kíli released my hand and attempted to push himself upright, hopeful curiosity written on his face. As I had done, Fíli withdrew their treasure and dangled it before his brother's wide eyes, pulling it just out of reach as Kíli lunged for it. I knew I ought to reprimand Fíli for taunting his brother with such a thing as that but the thought had barely entered my mind before he was lowering his arm back to his brother and Kíli clasping the thong protectively to his chest.

"Uncle – Fíli – I'm sorry," Kíli murmured breathlessly, eyes suddenly swimming with tears. "I thought it would be safe."

Gravely, I nodded my understanding and he shot me one last pitiful look before slumping back against Fíli and curling into him, necklace clenched possessively in both hands under his chin. "Kíli," I said firmly as realisation set in, "Please do not tell me you went after that pony – "

"Ham," he interrupted softly, eyes widening as I glared at him.

"After that pony," I repeated sternly, seizing the necklace from him and shaking it slightly, "for the sake of this." The scowl he fired at me did nothing to assuage my concerns; I sat momentarily speechless before recovering myself. "Kíli," I began, passing a hand over my eyes, "This is not worth dying for."

His face remained unchanged; clearly, my nephew disagreed with me. Despite what I had thought when his brother had done so, I pulled my arm away as Kíli reached for his prize, swiping at it and giving a frustrated huff when his hand closed on nothing. For a moment, none of us moved. Fíli sat silently, eyes closed and no doubt willing one of us to back down from our disagreement. Surrounded by his brother's protective embrace, Kíli glared at me reproachfully. Suddenly he dropped his gaze; my will faltered as he returned it to me, eyes glistening.

"I would die tomorrow for your father's treasures, Uncle," he said fiercely, "Why should I not do the same for my father's?"

I exchanged an uneasy look with my elder nephew whose eyes had flown open in alarm at his brother's words. Once more, I found myself rendered speechless. Though his open condemnation infuriated me, I was not so blinded by it that I could not understand that he saw my words as hypocrisy – that I was asking him to place my father's memory above his own father but surely, surely he knew it was more than that? He could not really believe that this quest was for gold alone? It was birth right, and our duty to our people and to each other and vengeance for what and whom we had lost over the years. I would not insult him by claiming our lost treasure to play no part at all but this quest was for Erebor, not its gold.

"The two do not compare," I said shortly, pressing forth despite the hurt looks they both fired at me, "These are trinkets – heirlooms at best – they have no meaning if all those that recognise them are dead."

Fíli at least seemed to grasp my point, nodding against his brother's head and squeezing him slightly. I felt some of the tension in me ease; I had only warm feelings for their late father – though it had not always been so between us – and I did not like to think of my sister-sons believing otherwise. At my unsympathetic prompting, Kíli also nodded albeit reluctantly, several tears spilling forth. Sighing, I shook my head. This was an argument for another time – one that I was certain Kíli and I (and most likely Fíli) would be revisiting before long – at a time when Kíli's obvious exhaustion and pain were not making his emotions so pitifully hard to control.

Soaking the muslin, I set to wiping the filth from his face as best I could, continuing to speak sternly to them both though it was little more than exasperated admonitions rather than true chastisement. I could feel my residual anger ebb away with every stray tear that traced its way down my younger nephew's face. When I had finished with Kíli – his face pink from my efforts though I had tried to be gentle – he settled lower with his head in his brother's lap, Fíli's hands immediately straying to attempt to brush the worst of the mud from his hair. If the faces and weak protests Kíli made were anything to go by, his brother was not being nearly so gentle as he was presumably trying to be. I shook my head, entirely and eternally exasperated and yet charmed by the pair of them. I concentrated my efforts on Fíli now and he scrunched his face up as the water trickled down into his eyes. Grinning, I wiped the worst of it away with one hand.

"You are doing that deliberately," he accused the third time it happened, eyes tightly closed.

I raised my brows at his brother, who had opened one eye, curious to know what was happening. "Perhaps," I conceded eventually, at last setting the cloth down beside me and wiping the last of the dirt from his cheek with my thumb. Undoing the braids on either side of his beard, I fought another smile as one hand appeared from his brother to help thread carefully through the thick hair before pausing and playfully tugging on it until Fíli looked down.

"Behave yourself, young Sir."

Although Fíli's words had been immediate and chiding, the effect was ruined somewhat by the indulgent smile creeping across his face. Glancing up and seeing my raised eyebrows, that smile became an outright grin.

"Wise words, Kíli," I said mock-sternly, dropping my eyes to his, "Keep them in mind."

Kíli began to nod vigorously but suddenly put an end to any further teasing by bursting into great hacking coughs; Fíli and I both helping him to sit upright as he did so.

"That did not sound at all healthy," said a voice behind me and we all of us turned to see Gloín approaching us, Oín close behind.

"Nothing a few days rest wouldn't cure," Fíli smiled, eyeing me hopefully, "And one of Oín's delicious tonics."

Kíli made a small sound of protest at that but did not speak – he had seemed unusually quiet around Oín and Gloín recently though I did not know why for with the exception of Balin, Dwalin, Fíli and myself, they were the members of our company he had known, if not best then certainly longest.

"We are staying two days at least," I informed my nephews, enjoying the way they both seemed to brighten at the prospect. Though dwarves are hardy by nature, constantly being on the move and out in the open with no shelter but what nature could provide us was a hardship we had not had to endure for many years and was therefore difficult for us all but particularly for the youngest of our party (and, I was not so blind as to not notice, for Master Baggins) who were entirely unused to such a life. "And I am certain Oín has all manner of peculiar tasting concoctions for youboth."

Fíli wrinkled his nose but was diplomatic enough not to comment any further.

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Several hours later when we had all been fed and watered, I shifted wearily against the log at my back and took a moment to enjoy the absorbed warmth against my aching shoulders. Sighing, I lifted one arm and guided him down as Fíli sat down beside me with his pipe, fidgeting restlessly against me before lying down with his head and shoulders propped against my thigh. Though our companions undoubtedly thought no less of my nephews for seeking comfort from me as their uncle – nor of me for giving it – it clearly troubled Fíli to be seen to be openly doing so. Kíli, on the other hand…

Although my younger nephew was by nature of a far more demonstrative disposition than his brother, it was still a testament to both his rising fever and to his lingering shock from the day that he had attached himself to me whilst Oín had been seeing to Fíli and essentially not left my side since. Even now, he barely raised his head from my shoulder as his brother joined us. As I had been doing before Fíli re-joined us, I ran my hand through Kíli's hair, working the dried mud and knots from it with the practiced ease that comes from living fifty years with a younger brother and sister who must have found every single swamp, lake or muddy puddle from Erebor to Ered Luin. Earlier in the evening, I had considered braiding it – perhaps adding one or two of my brother and brother-in-law's beads that had been so terribly important to my nephew – but the last of the sunlight had faded before I had been able to rouse Kíli enough to do so. No matter, we had several days now. I had at least been able to convince Fíli to redo the braids in his beard – though his hair was now loose – but he had done so himself; clearly his sensitive pride would not stand for so humbling an experience as his uncle reforming them for him.

"Is Kíli sleeping?" Fíli asked quietly, shifting around to frown up at me. Glancing at Kíli, I nodded wordlessly. Fíli frowned in concern, trying to sit up even as his entire body no doubt protested the sudden movement.

"I had Oín put something in his tea," I informed my eldest nephew, ushering him back down with one hand, "Strong enough to floor a troll apparently."

His mind clearly slowed by exhaustion – as if I would have allowed Kíli such powerful tonics without reason – Fíli's eyes widened in alarm before he suddenly relaxed once more, his mouth quirking into a smile. "It would have to be," he said ruefully, "For him to sleep this soundly after that."

I 'mm-ed' absently, faintly amused as he cast a furtive look about us before slumping more heavily into my side and tugging my own fur closer to himself.

"Are you in pain?" I asked after a moment, thinking of how violently the rope about his middle had been stopped earlier and feeling my own stomach lurch as I though of it, how it had seemed to force every speck of air from his body, the noise of the rope pulling taught cracking like a whip across my memory. Watching me closely for a few seconds, he gave an odd one-shouldered shrug and shook his head.

"I'm all right, Uncle," he assured wearily, eyes straining in an attempt to keep himself awake, "Just – " he broke off in an enormous yawn that he did not even try to disguise. "Just very tired."

"I would never have known."

He ducked his head bashfully and burrowed himself further into his blanket with an ill-concealed shiver.

"I'm all right," he repeated more forcefully when I suggested he either sleep or ask Oin if there was any more to be done for him. Despite this, I soon felt his body beginning to relax into the first stages of sleep when a clatter and cursing from our companions close by brought him back into consciousness with a jolt. I scowled as he straightened up from where had been lying and made great attempts to shake the weariness from himself. At my not-quite-ordering him to sleep, he fired me scowl that would have made his mother and brother proud, jaw set stubbornly in a way that was fiercely reminiscent of my grandfather.

"I don't want to sleep, Thorin," he informed me mulishly, reaching across me to shuck a blanket further up his brother's shoulder. As he leant back, I took a hold of his arm, using it to hold him still as I forced his eyes to meet mine.

"Perhaps not," I said unsympathetically, "But you will." I forced myself to remain stern even as his defiance flashed into hurt anger and then into dread as he no doubt allowed himself to think of the horrifying 'what-ifs' that awaited him in his dreams. Though I remained outwardly unmoved, I trusted him to know that I was not unsympathetic to his plight – how could I be? But the fact remained that he was glassy-eyed with exhaustion, battered in both body and mind, and most likely facing a long day of playing nursemaid to his brother who was already showing the first signs of a fever. I had indulged his fears and avoidance of sleep for long enough but to do so any longer would be detrimental to his own health, never mind his brother's. Finally, when I was beginning to wish my nephews had not inherited my family's legendary stubbornness, Fíli's expression melted into acceptance, his entire body going limp with the realisation that sleep and it's inevitable nightmares was now unavoidable. With one last reassurance from me that his brother would be well-looked after while he slept, my eldest nephew's eyes drifted shut at last and within moments he had lost his admittedly well-fought battle with exhaustion.

He could not have been sleeping more than a few minutes when my younger nephew finally dared to move. Having seen his brother's bone-weariness and knowing there would be no end to it until he himself was sleeping soundly, Kíli had been feigning sleep at my side from the moment we saw his brother heading towards us – it had admittedly been something of a falsehood that Oín had put anything in Kíli's tea but Fili was not to know that. I could not be certain but from the way he rubbed at his eyes, I suspected he may have actually drifted off briefly.

"Good evening, my young counterfeit," I began amusedly, before frowning in sudden concern as Kíli's eyes seemed unable to focus upon me for several moments and his arms shook with the effort of supporting himself on them as he leant back from me. Despite his pains, he (as his brother had done) leant across me to fuss half-heartedly with his brother's blankets before squirming to find a position that did not exacerbate his many injuries (thankfully, they was mostly just severe bruising). Kíli finally settled again, his head tucked 'neath my chin as he had frequently done as a child but not for many years now. So be it, I could scarcely believe my luck to be so entirely unharmed and settled in for the night with both of my boys so blessedly alive after two such incredibly close calls in the past few days.

This close to Kíli though, I could feel the fever setting in even without seeing the glassy eyes and flush in his face. Troubling, that it should have set in so fast really. It was just as well Gandalf had agreed with my decision to hold here for a few days for I would not have moved Kíli from this very spot let alone this camp. I began to mentally prepare myself for the day to come; I did not intend to leave Fíli to take care of his brother alone and, as much as I trusted Oin as a healer and would not dare to question his knowledge of medicine, there was nobody in our company who knew these boys better than I. Regardless of whether this fever really came to anything, it would do our entire company good to stay and rest in one place for a couple of days - if we were not all wearied by the crippling pace we had been encouraged to set since our encounter with the trolls, then we were certainly in need of rest after today's events. Still, these were not friendly lands here – would not be, I supposed, until we at last reached Erebor –and I did not wish to tarry any longer than absolutely necessary, if Kíli (or indeed Fíli) were unwell when we next planned to set off then for the good of the company he would simply have to ride with someone else. If we were to reach our journey's end before the seasons turned against us then we could not afford to stay in any one place longer than that – no matter how much any of us might desire to.

The road goes ever on indeed.

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**D'you know, I /honestly/ thought I had managed to stop ending every story/chapter with them falling asleep...*sigh* I might get there one day. In the meantime, at least they're getting they're (and my) 8hrs a night. Oh well...thoughts?**


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